2023 AG report shows the total gross for production value has dropped

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The latest 2023 agricultural report for production value in Tulare County was estimated to be $7.8 billion.

That number is a decrease of more than 745 Million dollars compared to 2022.

The Tulare County Ag Commissioner's Office says the biggest drop was in milk by $600 million.

The 2023 Dairy production was still more that $2 Billion which is higher compared to previous years, but the pay per hundredweight was lower..

"The price per hundred weight dropped from $26 or so per hundredweight to $19 and you see that and look at the total production and think wow that's a big drop," says Christopher Greer with the Tulare County Assistant Agricultural Commissioner.

Tulare Lake floods also impacted the price of feed for cattle.. since floodwaters prevented most of the feed-crop from growing.

Field crops saw a decrease of 26% this past year.

The total production value was over $554 million.

And, Fruit and Nut commodities saw a decrease of more than 2%.

But the Ag Commissioner's office says, "Our statistics that we show do not directly show profit loss," explainED Christopher.

Gaile and Dan Certini grow oranges in Visalia.

Their total crop amount was smaller last year, but the quality was good.

"They were larger, and concentrated mostly in the center of the tree. This year is a heavier crop concentrated on the outside of the tree but they were a little bit smaller."

This year, their navel oranges are also seeing impacts from the heat.

"This year a lot of the oranges were sunburnt. It was so hot. So there is gonna be a lot of juice oranges because of that but the crop is large so sometimes it kinda evens out," says Dan.

Livestock and Poultry saw an increase of about 20% and the gross value was more than $987 million.

But those numbers don't just impact farmers, local researchers at the University of California extension in Lindcove say it can also affect their work.

"That is when it impacts the funding going to our organization and that affects the ability for the researchers to do the research here at Lindcove," says Ashfar El-Kereamy, the Director of Lindcove UC Research Center.

The ag commissioner's office says the report covers more than 150 different commodities.

And, even if one industry experiences difficulties from year to year, Tulare County farmers still focus on providing food locally and worldwide.

Full ag report found here.

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